Match-box holder



Odeye Att Patented Feb. 17,1920.

THOMAS I. AMBROSE, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO.

MATCH-BOX HOLDER.

Specification of .Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Application filed May 31, 1918. Serial No. 237,449.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. AMBROSE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match- BoX Holders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to holders, and its Object is to provide a simple, inexpensive means for holding on the wall a match-box with the matches therein exposed for removal, whether the match-box be the smaller kind in which safety matches are Sold, or the larger kind in which parlor matches are sold, as well as some kinds of safety matches.

A further object is to provide such means with a durable and eective marker which may be seen in the dark. Other objects will appear in the course of the ensuing description.

My invention consists in the combination of parts and in the details of construct-ion and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a holder embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same somewhat enlarged;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the center of the holder and showing it attached to the wall or other support, and holding one of the smaller safety match-boxes;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the same;

Fig. 5 is a section corresponding to Fig. 3, showing a part of one of the larger kind of match-boxes, and illustrating how such box is held in the holder;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the example of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view similar to Fig. l and showing how the holder may be used for advertising purposes; and

Fig. 8 is a similar View of the holder without the marker, and with the space that would be occupied by the marker used for advertising display.

As I prefer to construct my improved holder, it comprises a simple flat metal plate l of suitable outline, which, it will be understood, may be varied in accordance with the ornamental effect desired; the plate l preferably being considerably higher than wide. In the upper part of this plate a tongue 2 is pressed forward by severing it from the main part of the plate at the lateral sides 8 and at upper sides 4 which converge from the upper ends of the lateral sides to a point 5. The upper part of the tongue 2 is bent slightly forward so that the point 5 is slightly more separated from the rear main upper part of the plate l than is the rest of the tongue 2 from its junction 6 with the main part upward.

Near the bottom, preferably in the middle of the plate, is a hole 7, and near the top above the point 5 is another hole 8. These holes 7 and 8 admit suitable fastening means, such as the nails 9, to be driven into the wall l0 or other support, so that the holder may be firmly secured in position.

In the middle of the tongue 2 and about midway of its height, a small preferably Sharp lug ll is pressed forward.

It will be understood that all of this construction just described is very readily accomplished by a suitably constructed cutting-and-forming die at a single operation. Therefore, the holder may be produced very economically. Also, by this operation, or by a separate operation, it may have stamped upon it any desired reading or other display matter l2 or 13, as instanced in Figs. 7 and 8, respectively.

Preferably, a short distance below the junction G 0f the tongue 9. with the main part l, a small round spot or dot lst of suitable luminous material is deposited or coated on the front surface of the plate l. Preferably, this material is of the superior permanent kind largely used in numbering the dials of time-pieces. Vith this means provided, the holder may be readily located even in total darkness; which is an especially desirable provision in a match holder in a place where the irst requisite to lighting is the obtaining of match. It will be understood that any suitable luminous material may be employed for providing the dot la, most of which are less expensive than that just alluded to. rIhe holder may be provided, of course, without the luminous dot 14:, in which case the entire space on 'the front part of the plate l below the tongue 2 may be utilized for advertising or other display mat-ter, such as the matter of the box from the holder.

13 in Fig. 8. Where 'the dot 14 is provided, thevdisplay matter 12 may be confined to the space below the dot, as shown in Fig. 7, or otherwise associated with the dot77 By thus closely associating advertising matter intimately with this luminous dot, the value of the advertising is somewhat increased, because this dot serving to locate the holder in the dark attracts more attention to the holder in general. than is ordinarily given to a match holder, and tends to concentrate the attention on this particular part of the holder where thedot. is located.

My improved holder thus constructed, or with an equivalent construction, is fastened to the wall 10 or other support-ing means by means of the nails 9 or other suitable fastening means passing through the holes 7 and 8, as clearly shown in Figs. Sand 5, with the point 5 of the tongue 2 projecting upwardly and preferably slightly outwardly, as was described.

If the smaller kind of safety7 matchebox 15 is to be held, which, as is well understood, comprises the outer slide-cover 16 with sides, top and bottom and open ends, and the inner container 17 with sides, ends and bottom and an open top, it is brought with one of its ends down with the bottom of the inner container 17 back toward the holder. Such a box is so applied to the holder that the pointed tongue 2 enters between the bottom of the container 17 and the adjacent bottom of the outer slide-cover 16; the slight outward projection of the point 5 materially assisting in this operation. The outer slide-cover 16 is pushed down along the tongue 9. preferably until the lower end 18 of its top engages with the upper rear side of the junction part 6 of the holder. During this operation, the lower end of the inner container 17 engages with the lug 11 and the further downward travel of the container 17 is arrested, so that it is automatically projected a proper distance from the upper end of the outer slide-cover 16; whereupon the projecting upper part of the inner container 17 may be torn away, leaving the matches readilv/ accessible in a well-known manner, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The tongue 2, owing to the resiliency of the metal of which it is made, binds very firmly back against the bottom of the outer slide-cover 16, pressing it firmly against the surrounding main part 1 of the holder. 1f the nail 9 or other fastening means has its head slightly projecting, as indicated in Fig. 3, the engagement of the upper part of the slide-cover bottom with this head further acts to prevent accidental displacement But whether this latter engagement is present or not, the tongue 2 will very firmly hold the box. At

the same time, when the tongue is slightly outwardly curved at the top, its point 5 becomes slightly embedded in the bottom of the inner container 17 and holds this firmly in position inside the outer slide-cover 16 and down against the lug 11.

These small safety match boxes are thus very firmly held, and at the same time only one side of the slidecover is unexposed. There is an especial advantage in thus very firmly holding both the outer part 16 and inner part 17 of the box without covering the sides 19 (Fig. 4c) which, as is wellknown, are coated with a substance with which the heads of these safety matches must be frictionally contacted in order to light the matches. The absence of any covering from the front side of the box adds to this advantage. In many holders for this kind of boxes, either the two wider sides of the box are inclosed with the object of firmly holding the box, which, in many instances, is only indifferently accomplished; especially if no partial inclosure of the narrower sides is provided; or, where such partial closure of the narrower sides 19 is not attempted, the edges of the front and back engaging means are often projected in such a way as to greatly lessen'the convenience of access to these sides 19 upon which the matches must be struck 1n many other holders even the major part of each one of these sides 19 is inclosed, leaving only a small narrow opening for access of the match heads to the sides 19. This not only makes it very inconvenient to strike a match, but after a few matches are struck on the limited spaces thus accessible, the substance becomes depleted, so that it is ineffective. That is to say, such a small proportion of the striking capacity of the box is utilized that it is exhausted long before all of the matches held in the box have been used.

The tapering upper fend part of the tongue 2 as formed by the converging edges or sides Llterminating in the point 5 serves asA a guide in placing one of these smaller boxes on the holder; which operation is further facilitated as before mentioned if the terminal part of the tongue is slightly bent forwardly, as shown and described.

The holder is not only useful for holding boxes of this smaller safety kind; but has just as marked advantages for holding the well-known larger boxes in which the larger or parlor7 matches are supplied. Such a box is, as is well-known, similar in construction to the smaller box just described, with the corresponding outer slide-cover 20 and inner container 21; and usually on one of its narrow sides it is provided with a strip 22 of abrasive substance on which the matches are struck These may be either the kind of matches that will ignite by friction of their heads with any surface, as Well as the substance 22; or those with tips that require special substance in the strip 22.

The distinction here is not as to the kind of matches or the method of igniting them, but as to the size and nature of material of the box. As l: prefer to construct the holder, it is made with the tongue 2 but very slightly narrower than the transverse space inside the slide-cover 16 of the standard sized safety match-box, so that the box is held lirmly against lateral displacement in the holder. These smaller boxes are usually made of thin wood which s not readily pierced; whereas the larger boxes just mentioned and illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 are usually made of thin paste-board which is readily pierced or torn. Also, in the smaller boxes the matches lie lengthwise, but in the larger boxes they are laid crosswise. For these larger boxes with the matches crosswise, holders are generally provided to hold the box with one of its ends upward for the matches to lie horizontally and be taken from the slightly projected inner container 21 in this position. Such holders generally inclose all or most of the box and cover the striking strip 22 and provide for striking the matches by a roughened surface on the holder itself. Such holders are manifestly useless where the matches must be struck on the peculiar` surface of the box; and are generally very inconvenient for any kind of matches, because the large box in the position thus given to it does not effectively retain the matches until they are used; generally involving considerable skill in placing the box in the holder if spilling of the matches is to be avoided. Also, considerable care is required in taking the matches from the holder to avoid spilling some of them.

I obviate these diculties with respect'to the larger matches and their boxes with this same holder; but in view of the different size, material and desirable position for use of these larger boxes, the mode of holding the box is somewhat dierent.

Such a box is brought down toward the holder with the top of its inner container 21 upright and slightly projected from the outer` slide-cover 2O for access to the matches. The box is so applied to the holder in this position that the pointed upper end of the tongue 2 pierces the bottom 23 of the outer slide-cover 20 bach at its corner next to the rear narrower' side 24 and passes up between this rear side 24 and the adjacent side of the inner container 21. These large boxes are generally no more than or less than a certain height than which the tongue 2 of the holder is made considerably higher, so that the pointed upper end of the tongue 2, before the lower part of the box strikes the junction part 6 of the tongue, also pierces the top 25 of the outer slide-cover 20, as

clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The box is so approached to the holder that this tongue 2 is caused to pierce it in this manner about midway of its length, as shown in Fig. 6. The result is that the rear side 24 is lirmly clamped between the resilient tongue 2 and the mais part 1 of the holder; and if the tongue has also pierced the top 25, there is additional holding means at the top. Even if the box is higher than the tongue and is not pierced at the top, the clamping pressure of the tongue is such that the box is held firmly against tilting endwise; and if the top is pierced there is, of course, additional security against this. Moreover, the projecting preferably pointed lug 11 engages with the rear side of the inner container 21 and holds it firmly in its adjusted position slightly projected from the outer slide-cover, as just described; and this engagement also has the effect of preventing endwise tilting of the entire box. At the same time the inner container 21 may be pulled out of the slide-cover 2O gradually so as to maintain ready access to the matches as the matches are used. rlhe striking strip 22 is entirely exposed at the front side of the box.

fhatever kind of box be held, the luminous dot 14 is always in plain view; especially when the holder is mounted at the usual convenient level for access of a person while standing, z'. e., at about the height of the shoulders. At this height the dot 14, located as shown and described, will not be evenpartially obscured by even the largest box. rlfhis may be readily inferred upon inspection of the perspective views in Figs. 4 and 6. It will be understood, however, that the relative location of this dot 14, as well as of other details, may be varied in accordance with requirements or preferences; and, in general, while certain constructional details are deemed preferable in connection with my invention, and I have shown and described these rather specifically in elucidating the construction and use of my invention, as is required, I do not wish to be understood as being limited to such precise showing and description, but having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

As a new and improved article of manufacture, a match box holder comprising a fiat plate having a tongue pressed out from its interior by severing from the main body of said plate along lateral and upper edges, leaving said tongue joined to said plate along its lower part, said tongue being pressed out a suiicient distance to leave a substantial space between it and the plane of the adjacent surface 0f the main part of the plate from the junction of the tongue with said main part up to the upper edges of the tongue, and having its upper end below said tongue for fastening said holder curved outwardly and a lug thereon also to any suitable support. p l extendno' outwardly some dstanoe below -1 the top bf the tongue to engage and supp THOMAS P AMBROSL port the inner part of said box, and said Witnesses: man'part of said plate being left substan- CAROL GRENARD,

. tially flat with means therein above and Gr. W. F. MOORE. 

